Look Ma--no bugs!

Vacation week arrived at last with fine weather. And I have to admit, I really, really wanted to ride every day, but made myself work on the "plaster project" and helping John clear out the garage. If we want to sell, a lot of de-cluttering and painting had to happen during our vacation. Oh my, the junk we've saved over the years! What I couldn't take to the junkyard for cash (old bicycle parts, rusted tools, etc.), I put out by the road. My three pairs of vintage skis, miraculously disappeared, along with a beach chair and lounger! One man's junk is another man's treasure, for sure.

But by the time Friday rolled around, I insisted we get in a ride. The weather was perfect--breezy, partly sunny, in the 60's and NO BUGS! We saw an occasional mosquito, and only ONE deer fly, which I squashed. Absolutely heavenly for the horses and us.

We decided to explore the Jepson woods and quarry area. Having not ridden out there since spring, we discovered the enlarged quarry and logged area forced us to re-route some of our trails. Since it was a weekday, all sorts of heavy equipment moved through the quarry. Both horses were remarkably calm about it all, even when we paused to watch a drill, pounding into the rock.

We took a break along the quarry road so I could sample some wild grapes. Fall was in the air--the smell of grapes, aster and goldenrod blooming in the meadows and along the roads, and the sumac heads turning a bright red. 

Our mellow-mooded Harley and Rolex ambled along enjoying the bug-free environment. When they're out 24/7, the horses are much more relaxed. Brave Harley led the way for a good portion of the ride!


We came out onto Cheney Woods Road where the pace picked up--that little alarm that goes off in the horses' heads when we turn for home.

We stopped for a little break--carrots all around for our steeds. Now there's a happy horse!

 

Homeward bound, out Allen Road, past North Point. A perfect day for a perfect ride on our perfect ponies!

When and if we find our own place, I admit I will miss some of our trails in the Tatnic area. But all the pros outweigh the cons, and there would be new territory to explore. Hopefully, Harley would learn to get on a a trailer so if a moment of nostalgia came over me, we could return to some old haunts. But with all the logging, quarrying, and building going on, it's only a matter of time before land not protected by conservation groups will be swallowed up for development. Only islands of green space will remain, leaving a lot of road riding to reach those idyllic spots. So I need to enjoy them while I can and accept that I can't change the inevitable.

Saturday was another "all work, no play" day. I tried to finish plastering the "rose room" wall, but discovered I will need to redo a few places. Ugh! John nearly finished purging the garage and getting all his tools organized enough so we will be able to squish on vehicle in there during snow storms.  And another boat arrived on our doorstep for repair--organized in the nick of time!

Once all the plaster dries, I can move on towards painting. I will be so glad when this room is done. Then I can move on to finishing up the cupboards in the kitchen. Will it never end?

Sunday dawned chilly with a downright cold breeze blowing. The horses were stabled overnight due to the cold rainy weather. This left them raring to go after breakfast! I anticipated a rowdy ride when Harley barely let me get on before he was off at a trot. He led the way up the road, spooking at every little squirrel, chipmunk, bird, stump, and boulder in sight. John suggested a short ride due to sore muscles, but our little jaunt turned into a three hour plus trek.

We retraced our route out to the Jepson homestead where we encountered three riders from North Point. This had Harley's head as high as a giraffe's as he peered down the trail at the oncoming horses. We exchanged exclamations over the perfect weather and continued on our way. Once we reached the old pasture, Harley decided to have a little snack.

Rolex ate some, but she's always a busy girl and wanted to get going!

She was in rare form on Sunday--full of the dickens and spooking at silly things. I think she felt good and was displaying her humor. She stopped at random stumps, rocks, and other little things along the way, but with her good nature, John just laughed it off.

Where we went wrong was letting Rolex pick her route down a game trail that led in the right direction, but over some tricky terrain and through a swamp. We finally reached a point where I said, "Let me get off and scout this out". We managed to get out on a rocky promontory with a swamp on one side and a steep ravine on the other. John held the horses while I scrambled down one side, looking for a horse-safe route, and then up the other side, hoping it would put us back on the trail. I retraced my steps and told John the plan. Rolex forged out ahead down into the ravine bottom. Then she got a little rattled, and little stuck. I put Harley out front and he attacked that slope like he was heading up Cougar Rock in the Tevis Cup. We made a few switchbacks around rocky slabs and downed trees, but he scrambled up like a hero with me hanging onto his mane. Harley received lots a pats and "Good Boy" huzzahs from me. John was impressed with his finesse too--my grand boy! Here's to off-track Thoroughbreds becoming trail horses!

While bashing through the woods, getting thwacked across the neck, scratched and bloodied by branches, I stopped to take a picture of what I believe is Chicken of the Woods mushroom. Colleen over at Bay State Brumby and her husband Brandon will have to confirm this for me! It sure looked fresh and ready to eat!
But I don't think it would have fared well stuffed in my saddle bag crashing through the puckerbrush.




Here's a little movie of Harley, walking in the woods:

Some of our best riding weather is right now, so I hope to get in a few more great rides like these in between fixing up "This Old House".

Horse swapping

Rolex Girl watching

John and I swapped horses today. He took Harley on a ride yesterday and had a good time. So he announced I was riding Rolex today and he'd take Harley again. They are such different horses to ride, and Harley even more so when he goes solo. He's braver with Rolex's company, yet he moves out at a better pace when he's alone. Rolex is a more athletic horse with a spring in her step, a consistent forward walk, and a lot less spooky. Her only fault, if you can call it that, is she hates being passed on the way home. So if she's leading--give her hind feet a wide berth! Otherwise, Harley can have his head right behind her--just NO PASSING!

We rode out to Orris Falls with a nice trot going, but once Harley veered off onto a non-packed trail, he came right down to a walk. John said he got spooked by snowshoers on the trail yesterday. What are those funny things on their feet? Yikes!

Harley pondering his next move

The trees still had loads of snow in their branches, many just low enough to dump it down my back. I could have used a scarf to keep it off my neck! We had a couple of lovely canters on the packed trails where the footing was awesome. Rolex got in a couple of extra canters when Harley was still trotting, maybe hoping she could pass him!

Harley pulled his first stunt as we approached the brook from the trail along the chasm. I said to John, "You know what he's going to do?" And sure enough, he tried to pull left and head for home, but John brought him around and he forged through the brook with Rolex right behind, after sizing it up with a small snort.

At the next brook crossing, Harley jumped over it--one he usually just steps across. John must have asked him to take the leap. Even Rolex hopped the brook.

I passed the camera to John for the rest of the ride. 

We rode out to the other end of Orris Falls where we met 2 snowshoers enjoying the fine hiking weather. Everyone had big smiles today.

Then we had  a bit of road riding before cutting back into the meadow at Three Maples Farm. Now that we'd turned for home, I asked John to keep it under control in the field until we hit the woods. We had a nice, controlled trot--no bucking or racing, which I thought might occur. The horses were awesome and I was thoroughly enjoying my ride on Rolex.

We rode through Tatnic Woods and then onto the Nature Trails--the funny place with the kooky signs and bits of odd rubble here and there.

Both Rolex and Harley had to take a long look at this building. It's a small shack that does NOT serve any food. I have no idea why this sign is posted on it, nor do I know what the shack's purpose is--some remnant bob house/restaurant that was hauled off the ice and into the woods?

Once the horses determined no snow monsters would jump out at them, and that no feed was forthcoming, we continued on our way out to the road near North Point.

Suddenly, Harley pulled up so fast he slid on the ice. Up ahead, two women were pulling a toddler on a sled and making silly noises. Harley wouldn't budge. Rolex, always curious, decided to move in for a closer look which convinced Harley to follow. Every now and then, the women would run along with the sled, yellling, "WEEEEE!" Finally, we had to pass them in order to get home. They pulled off the trail behind a parked pickup, so I warned Harley, "Look out, there behind the truck!" More smiling people and a smiling baby.
 
Back up the trail behind Skinners and out onto Thurrell Road, headed for home--an awesome ride!

Thoroughbreds keep on running

The heat wave continued on through Sunday, but throughout the day, the temperature slowly dropped. It was hot, but only in the 80's, hot enough for us to dismount and walk a bit down Cheney Woods Rd. Rolex and Harley plodded along, happy to have me out front to scare away any "monsters" and let them maintain their snail's pace. Lots of carrots always work to lure the horses forward and reward them for their hard work!

Our plan was to find the trail that would lead us out to Hill Road so we could ride a loop through the Wells Tatnic hills. Since we could only go so far with a truck, we would have to find the other end via horse. John and I had looked at the map and figured if we took another right at the point we named Green Road triangle, we should come out somewhere in the vicinity of Hill Road.

Well of course Harley picked up on this being the turn for home. It's amazing how they always know! Suddenly his walk picked up and he forged ahead, stepping out, confident he was heading back to his buddies at the barn. But first we needed a break. The trail climbed, up out of swampy low lands and over a hill called The Saddleback. In a valley, between The Saddleback and Tatnic Hill, nestled a cute little camp. I called for a break and photo session. Here's the lovley place we found.

I could do without electricity and indoor plumbing if I owned a little retreat like this! Even the horses were curious and took a good look around. To the right, some flowers bloomed and a couple of patio chairs sat near a little stone campfire area. All it needed was a shed for the horses and a little paddock!

Even though he was anxious to get home, Harley stood still while I mounted from a nice rock. He always amazes me with this trait, even when he's being silly. The trail descended steeply over large rock faces in the eroded old road bed, through open woods with few face-slapping branches. Sure enough, we emerged on the maintained end of Hill Road. John and I had a laugh about the sign that read "Road Not Maintained In Winter". John said, "Doesn't look like they do much about it in spring either." We'd found our loop ride! Our next option was to ride back up to Cheney Woods Road and take the cut-off home, or head down Tufts Road to 3 Maples Farm where we cut through Great Works Land Trust land and pick up the Nature Trail. We were unsure of how far it was down Tufts Rd., so rather than subject ourselves to a long road ride (turns out it was only about 1/10th of a mile to 3 Maples), we took the route we knew would get us home.

The horses kept up a good strong walk, Harley even jogging half the time, proving they had plenty of energy after two hot hours on the trail. They hungrily gobbled down more carrots and had a nice bath at home. When we turned them loose, Rolex and Harley cantered down into the field to share their exploits with Ruffy and Vance. Yup, Thoroughbreds just keep on running!

Roundabout Wells AND Harley Gets Drilled

Rolex on Cheney Woods Rd. cutoff

The heat wave hit us hard, but we managed to get out riding. Friday we headed out to the Tatnic area of Wells to explore further than we did last April. We managed to cover more ground and discover new territory, albeit some was a little less desirable in the horses' eyes. Without a map and GPS, we still avoided getting lost and figured out where in the world in Wells we were!

Our route took us out via Northpoint to Cheney Woods road. There was a nice breeze blowing in the open woods which surely felt good. We dressed the horses in bug nets although I really think they dislike them. I believe they feel their vision is somewhat impaired as they seem to really LOOK at things harder; things they would ignore otherwise.

We followed Cheney Woods Road to the trail head; a bunch of boulders across an old road/ATV trail. We passed a couple of other "trails less traveled" that will warrant exploration as well. I'm trying to get it all mapped out in my head if not on paper! Once we get GPS waypoints, I may be able to download the trail onto a USGS quadrangle. We took one wrong turn that was more of a skidder path and I really hate trying to pick my way over slash. Harley is pretty good about forging ahead through the stuff, unlike Ruffy who just has hissy fits and head for home!

Harley on the skidder trail

I decided after my brief test ride on the new Bates saddle, to just go for it and really break it in. I figured the shims could be added, if needed, and it appeared to be fitting well. I used a sheepskin pad in conjunction with a baby pad (good for saddle prints) so Harley would have the ultimate cushion.  The stirrup bars sit a bit further back than the Tekna which I like--it puts me in a better position on Harley. I also like having moveable knee blocks. This will allow the saddle to work for John and me, especially for those days when I ask John to "get on the F.B. and work the kinks out, please!" I've already splashed mud and water on the virgin leather, giving it it's first taste of life with Lisa!

Once we covered familiar trails, we veered off into the unknown. Worst case scenario, we'd retrace our footsteps following our hoof prints home. We encountered some pretty deep puddles in the road, complete with large frog populations. Rolex was not being her usual brave self, which again made me wonder about visibility through the headnet. She refused to got through some of the puddles without a lot of urging. Some of them were quite murky, so not seeing the footing may also have played a part in this.  And the muck has a lot of clay in it which can be quite slippery. The woods in this area transitions from a lot of hemlock, to oak, to maple with some ash and hickory. And you get to see it up close and personal as you get smacked in the face! In places where the trail is rocky, Harley hugs the side (another reason I contemplate rear boots) with complete disregard to the overhead limbs. But I really do care about the footing for him--I don't want to any stone bruises--so I let him haul me through the underbrush! In the next photo you can see just such a branch. That hemlock overhead, almost smacked me in the face as we descended the trail--in fact, John snapped a photo of me with a face-full of foliage!

Our last major obstacle was a fast flowing brook that had washed out the road. A giant boulder sat on each side of the water, so in Harley's mind it was triply scary! He started pulling his backup stunt so I decided to dismount and let him have a good gander at the water. Rolex didn't like it much either and would not cross. John dismounted as well and with much urging, she went across with John nimbly skipping from rock to rock. I hoped I could replicate the river crossing with as much aplomb! Harley was not going to get left behind in the Wells wilderness and gamely stepped through the water. My poor flatlander horse, used to Maryland pastures and flat tracks, now had to walk over round river stones. Tricky footing!

We finally emerged in civilization. The road broadened, power lines appeared, and so did a house. This would be our turnaround point. We would have to come back in a vehicle to identify the road. John hoped we could make it a loop ride, but our option led us to a little "campsite" complete with lawn chairs, by the aforementioned brook. So we backtracked and tried another trail. This ended at a four and half-foot high pipe gate marked "NO TRESPASSING". Out of luck, we retraced our trail back home. This ride would be long enough with room for more exploration another time. We crossed the brook again with no issue--heck, they were headed home now! Harley was in "forging ahead" mode.  He'd only stop for carrots! Any when we got home, he got a nice bath, and I'm happy to report, no "hot spots" or bumps from the saddle.

Yesterday seemed even hotter, so we only went for a short ride. Back at the barn, we made some repairs which included fixing the stall guard Harley ripped down with his enthusiastic cribbing. I've read a lot about OTTB's having ulcers and had wondered if Harley suffered from them as well. The vet said he seemed to be in good condition, not exhibiting many of the symptoms. She said his cribbing, while it's not been proven, may be a way of him calming stomach acid. This has been a theory I've read. But she felt he looked healthy, and since his lifestyle is mostly in a turnout situation, she didn't feel it was necessary to scope him. I'm sure Harley liked that too!

So, while John tried to screw the ring back into the wall, Harley decided to come over and oversee the project. Maybe it harkened back to his Suffolk Downs days where trainers need to cobble together repairs among shed rows (we witnessed this ourselves). You'd expect Harley to be scared by the noise, but he actually LIKES the feel of the drill, whirring against his nose--a nose massage, as can be seen in the video. What a silly guy!

Ring work and a trail ride

We tested out the new ring yesterday. Harley and Rolex got a small taste of it before we headed for the woods. He who shall not be named, once again gave me a hard time about circling to the right at the far end--Noooo!, Rolex is down at the other end! And I have to say, he can really be pig-headed with the bitless bridle. It called for some rather drastic measures before I got Harley to relinquish and bend a bit to the right. Once he did that, it was off to the woods!

Tatnic Woods trail

The mosquitoes bothered us a bit if we stood still too long. I've tried using Clac-Deo a rather potent smelling bug dope, but one that doesn't use harmful chemicals. It works quite well, although it does leave a greasy residue. I guess it's time to dig out the fly mask. I'd be curious to know what other riders prefer--full face mask (which does make their faces sweaty), or just the crocheted ear bonnet with fringe.

We rode out via the power line, complete with 2 steep scrambles uphill and Big Bump (our version of the Tevis Cup Cougar Rock), then out the Lollipop Loop towards Tatnic. We crossed a lovely mowed field that a gentleman kindly lets us access, thinking we might have a nice canter or trot. Harley tried to just to go straight to the woods while Rolex cantered nicely along the edge. Once back on the trail, he encountered the dastardly wood piles which he's seen before, but always give him pause.

We rode past the world's loudest lawn mower (I thought the owners must be power washing their house!) which made Harley prance sideways. and then encountered the tallest wisteria I'd ever seen. It's a lovely ornamental vine, but in this case, it's eventually going to choke the white pine it's climbing. We had to take pictures at any rate, but unfortunately, the color got washed out in the bright sunshine.

Tallest wisteria in Wells, Maine!

I left John back at the barn, brushing Ruffy , and went out to get carrots (high in electrolytes) and drinks. I was parched from the heat, as I guessed John was too, and our brave ponies deserved some carrot treats. I feel guilty if I'm empty handed at the barn! I got back just as John was tacking up Ruffy. Time for a quick lunch, and snack for Ruffy, then off to our new ring! She took a gander at all that dirt and thought she was back at the track! All the jump equipment was stacked along the edge, and that was super-scary. But she settled down as John worked her. Ruffy is still learning that things aren't so bad and that she actually can just walk over rails. She made good progress today.

John schooling Ruffy

Two for Sunday

Bath time for Ruffy

We tried to get an early start this morning. John was out at the barn by 8 a.m. to take care of Ruffy's  frog, which seems to be doing much better. I finally arrived by 9:30, got saddled up, and we headed out.

Ruffy is loving her Easyboot Backcountry Gloves--some cushion and plenty of protection. What she still doesn't love is crossing water. Harley was the man and led the way, back and forth a number of times over a small drainage. Ruffy insists on jumping it and will not walk across--she's a jumper all right! Unlike Rolex, she hasn't had as much time out in the woods, but she also doesn't have the same mind set--more like Harley, "Oh my God, yikes, we need to get out of here!" She gets agitated when the footing is dicey and just mashes her way onward in hopes of ending the "crisis". Harley used to be much more like her, but with time and experience, he's made great progress. He still has his panic moments, but he takes a lot more in stride. We only rode for about an hour, then Ruffy got a nice bath, especially her tail, as you can see John gathering up in the picture.

After lunch, it was back to the barn for ride number two. The horses were enjoying a siesta and their own lunch in the barn, plus a break from the bugs. Today's heat brought out the black flies (Maine state bird) and voracious mosquitoes. Rolex and Harley were in lollygag mode. So we decided to take the nippers and make it a relaxing trail trimming ride. Rolex disproves the "hot-headed chestnut OTTB mare" stereotype all the time. But today, she even boggled my mind.  She stood  placidly, while John snipped branches that rained down around her, sometimes landing on her neck and backside. What a level-headed girl! Even the black flies didn't seem to upset her too much. I must say, Harley behaved quite well too. He didn't mind stopping every so ofter and just standing still while John trimmed. Even once they realized they were heading home, both horses slowed enough for John to continue snipping away as we went.  Harley stood like a rock as four ATVs passed us. Rolex was a little concerned about them, but maintained her composure. Big pats for both horses!

Heading home

Yesterday I flew solo with Harley. We went out to the Tatnic Woods region via the Nature Trail where the footing is nice and soft. There are some great spots for trots and canters, except Harley kept spooking at large piles of fire wood where there's been some cutting going on. Since they are right along the trail, he was weaving side to side, arching his neck, and looking hard at these "demons".  

Giant wolf pine in the woods

I read an article in Northern Woodlands magazine about "wolf trees"--those left standing by the settlers because they delineated a border or corner, and we often of little use for lumber due to their branching structure. We came across such a tree on our ride in Tatnic--a lone white pine in a stand of much younger growth. I recommend you go to the link (be patient while it loads if you've got a slow computer like me) for the photographs of some stunning trees. Seeing old trees like these, I imagine what the surrounding woodland must have looked like over 100 years ago. Adding to the magic,  are old stone walls, marching off into the woods, crumbling cellar holes from long-vanished hamlets. When the west opened up, many farmers threw in their lot to head for more fertile, less stony soil. All that remains are their tilting headstones, lilacs and day lilies gone wild,reaching up for the sun, flanking the front dooryard marked by a granite chunk in the middled of the foundation wall. The historical scenery is one of the many enjoyments of our trails around here.

I tend to be more contemplative when I ride alone, hence the long-winded history lesson. But I also wondered how this dry weather may affect the spring breeding season for frogs, salamanders, and turtles. If the vernal pools dry up too quickly, will breeding/egg laying territory be lost? The Tatnic Woods region is dotted with vernal pools and thin soil covering a large amount of granite. I did hear peepers singing in this pool,  but I pondered the drought-like situation we've been in all spring due to lack of snow melt and/or rain.

All that day-dreaming almost unseated me on the way home. As Harley picked his way home, with me riding on the buckle and sing my version of Handsome Molly, aka Handsome Harley, something large in the woods, possibly a deer, rattled the leaves and Harley took off with me picking up the slack reins. Yee--haa, and we're off! He came back down to a walk, albeit more of a jig, until we were well away from the "scary noise". That'll teach me to not pay attention!

Easter Day Adventure

Do you think that's the Easter Bunny, Harley? 

Can you believe it was snowing this morning here in Maine? The grey skies spit for a bit, then quit, but it stayed windy and chilly all day. Every house we passed had the fire or wood stove burning. So far, it's been colder this April than it was in March. Old Man Winter doesn't want to let go.  After taking care of Ruffy's foot, and giving Rolex and Harley a little extra lunch, we saddled up and headed out. But first, John had to work out a few kinks in our little Roley Girl. She had her dander up and was ready to rock and roll. He worked her a little in the schooling area, then we struck out for the woods.

A favorite spot for a canter

After some exploration on our previous ride, we found some new trails on Nature Conservancy land. Some of these trails are not built for horse travel--way too windy and narrow. But others appeared to more suited to ATVs and horses. Give it was Sunday, I half expected to run into ATV riders, but the woods were truly ours--quiet.

We encountered a maze of trails crossing old roads and decided to follow the established road bed. I was trying to remember where we turned left, where we turned right, and keep track of significant land marks so we could retrace our steps. So many options and so many trail junctions--which way to go next. Of course, the horses always seem to find the way home. They have a built in compass. The old road, bordered on both sides by ancient stone walls and cellar holes, replete with day lilies poking their leaves up, carried us out to a new house and bridge. As we emerged out of the woods, I recognized our location--at least I knew where we were in relation to the barn and our direction homeward as the the crow flies. But the adventure wasn't over yet. We still had trails to explore. So we headed the other direction, again passing cellar holes, stone walls, and even a cemetery along the road side. It must be cared for by relatives, for it appeared raked and cleared of winter's debris.

Stuart Cemetery

Harley and Rolex seemed to be enjoying the new territory. Rolex likes taking the lead until she hits a muddy spot. Then she slams on the brakes and waits for Harley to show her the route, willingly following in his footsteps. They've become trail buddies this year, happy to share carrot treats and tag along behind one another--nose to tail. One would never guess that our little Roley Girl is still less than six months off the track. She walks along easily, ears up, negotiating the trail gamely. Harley, years off the track, still likes to exhibit his Thoroughbred hot-headedness from time to time, especially if it's a solo ride and he hasn't got Rolex for support! He only had one spin out on me today, and it was a half-hearted on at that. I just circled him back and he moved forward without a problem. I think he likes to just test me--the wiley guy!

Here's a section of the 1944 Kennebunk map showing the region of the Tatnic Hills we were riding. The roads haven't changed much in past 68 years. There are more houses, but the dashed line dirt roads are still that--only now you need 4WD or 4-hoof drive to negotiate them. And this only shows the established roads--not all the trails that thread through the woods as well.

Which way now?

It was a chilly day, as you can see by John's down jacket and wool cap. Most of the ride was at a walk with trotting on some of the better footing. Harley and Rolex didn't even break a sweat until we did some sustained trotting, heading for home. Then Harley gets all psyched to be going home and keeps trotting to catch up with Rolex Girl's swinging walk! Things get a bit more interesting at a fast pace. When Harley begins to trot past Rolex, her racing nature takes over, she pins her ears and cuts him off. And if he passes her, then he tries to cut her off. Maybe I should whistle "Call to the post" and see what happens then!

John and I both worked on the horses' paces--extending the trot, slowing the trot, halting and backing. Harley sometimes like to break into a canter rather than trot, but for conditioning purposes today, I held him to the trot. Oh, we did pop over a few downed trees, although I chickened out at one John wanted to try. Maybe next time...for there will surely be a next time! We need to see where all those trails go.

Our first S.M.A.R.T. ride is six weeks away. It will probably only be 10 to 12 miles since it's early in the season, but we want the horses ready to go, plus we're hacking Eeyore (aka Harley) & Rolex to the ride since one animal, who shall go by his alias, doesn't like trailers (something else to work on)!